Trash receptacle



Sept. 22, 1959 J. A. ERICSON.

TRASH RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 19. 1957 INVENTOR JOHN A. Emcserv ATTORNEYUnited States Patent M TRASH RECEPTACLE John A. Ericson, Youngstown,Ohio Application February '19, 1957, Serial Nb. 641,159 7 v 1 Claim. or.220-205 The present invention relates to a trash receptacle of thegeneral type having a false bottom wherein trash, such as cigaretteashes and ends, fruit cores, nut shells, etc., are placed on asupporting surface and later dumped or ejected into a hidden portion ofthe receptacle which is-periodically cleaned. Although trash receptaclesof this general type are well known in the prior art, there are certaindisadvantages inherent in such apparatus. These device sare somewhatlimited in the capacity of material that can be deposited therein andare usually very hard to empty and clean. Further, the false bottom onwhich the material is initially supported is usually dirty since thedumping or ejecting mechanisms and means are ineffective in removing allof the material from the exposed surface of the false bottom. This isespecially true when sticky substances are deposited thereon, such asthe residue of fruits, and the results of the above are that after a fewuses such prior art receptacles become unsanitary and unsightly inappearance.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to providean improved trash receptacle which substantially mitigates the abovementioned problems encountered in conventional apparatus.

One of the most important objects of this invention is to provide afalse bottom supporting surface which is positively cleaned every timethe trash is ejected to the main container whereby the receptacle issanitary and requires less frequent cleaning and/ or emptying. As willbe hereinafter more fully apparent, this is accomplished by providing amember which in efiect acts as a scraper to remove all trash from thefalse bottom when the same is removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trash receptacle ofthe general character described incorporating improved means foremptying the collected trash from the receptacle whereby the emptyingoperation may be completed in a minimum of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved false bottommeans and spring means therefor tending to urge the same in the closedposition.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a trash receptaclehaving a removable liner element which is adapted to hold lightedcigarettes and facilitates cleaning of the receptacle. In addition, thereceptacle is easily constructed from sheet metal, for example, andpresents a pleasing appearance.

These, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, willbecome more readily apparent upon further consideration of the followingspecification and accompanying drawings wherein there is shown anillustrated embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a trash receptacle constructed inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end sectional view taken along the section line HII ofFigure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the trash receptacle.

2,905,354 Patented Sept. 22 1959 Referring now to the drawing, the trashreceptacle shown therein is essentially a 'rectangularly-shaped boxlikestructure having a front Wall 10, a rear wall 11 and two side walls 12.These walls' are formed from pieces of sheet metal, for example, andalong their upper edges have inturned edge portions 13 for a purposewhich will be hereinafter more fully described. The'bottom edges ofthese walls are flared or turned outwardly to form slides 14. Theseslides are adaptedto be received in inturned channels 15 formed by theedges of a bottom slide cover 16 and itis noted that the'channels 15.areprovided on only three sides of the bottom slide cover 16 whereby thesame may be slidably removed as is readily apparent. I

The front wall 10 of .the trash receptaclehas a longitudinally extendingslot 17 therein spaced from .the top edge thereof. Received in thisslot,in a manner to be further explained, is a false bottom on closure member18, having front and rear depending leg portions 19, which effectivelydivides the trash receptacle into two portions. The first portion, thatabove the false bottom, is open for the reception of refuse while theother portion, bounded by the false bottom and the bottom slide cover16, forms a container to receive ejected trash from the false bottom.The false bottom is supported for sliding movement on two spaced andgenerally parallel guide rods 20 which extend from and span the frontand rear walls, 10 and 11, respectively, and are held in position bytheir downturned end portions 22 or other convenient attachment means.The rear leg portion of the false bottom 18 is apertured at 23 and theguide rods extend through these apertures so that this member is guidedfor sliding movement.

Mounted on each of the guide rods 20 between the rear leg portion of thefalse bottom 18 and the front wall 10 is a compression spring 24 and thearrangement is such that when the false bottom is pulled forwardly thesprings 24 are compressed and tend to return the false bottom to itsinitial position. It will be noted that the forward depending legportion of the false bottom is disposed on the outside of the front wall10 and that the downturned forward ends 22 of guide rods 20 act asspacers to limit the rearward movement of the'false bottom whereby theforward depending leg portion of the false bottom is always spaced fromthe front wall and serves as a handle which is easily gripped. The reardownwardly depending leg portion of the false bottom serves as a stop tolimit forward movement of the false bottom during ejecting and cleaningoperations.

The inturned top edges 13 of the various walls act as supports for aninsert 25 constructed of sheet metal, for example, and having side walls26 of sufficient length to extend to the false bottom 18. Of particularimportance is the inclined front wall 27 which is of sufficient lengthto rest on the top surface of the false bottom and acts as a scraper forremoving refuse from the false bottom each time the same is removed. Theinclination of the front wall or scraper 27 is such that when the falsebottom is pulled forwardly that the edge thereof will contact the entireexposed upper surface of the false bottom.

The top edges of the insert 25 may be formed as at 28 to provideindentations for retaining lighted cigarettes whereby the trashreceptacle may be used as an ashtray.

As heretofore indicated, it is contemplated that the various componentparts of the trash receptacle will be made from sheet metal stockproperly formed and joined, as by spot welding, for example. The trashreceptacle, or various parts thereof such as the insert and false bottommay be chrome plated or otherwise coated or painted to present apleasing appearance.

Considering now the operation and use of the improved trash receptacle,trash and residue is placed on the upper surface of the false bottom.This may be cigarette ashes and ends if the receptacle is used as anashtray, paper, facial tissues, fruits cores, nut shells, etc. Then theuser grasps the handle1'9 and pulls the false bottom forward and thesoraper 27 forces the trash to fall into that portion-of the receptaclebelow.-the false bottom. The scraping contact between the scraper' andthe false bottom insures that all trash will be removed thereby keepingthenexposed portions of the receptacle reasonably clean. The falsebottom is released and is returned to its original position by thecompression springs. After the receptacle becomes full it may be easilyemptied by removing the bottom slide cover and emptying the ac cumulatedtrash.

Although I haveshowntand described an illustrated embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that many changes may be made thereinand therefore reference should be had to the following appended claim indetermining the true scope of the invention.

-I claim:

A generally rectangular trash receptacle of the type having elongatedfront and rear walls and a pair of side walls, a pair of horizontallyextending and laterally spaced rods disposed in normal relation to andspanning said front and rear walls below the top thereof, a horizontallydisposed slit in said front wall intermediate the top thereof and saidrods and extending the full width of 2,905,354 M g s.

said front wall, a horizontally disposed sheet-like closure memberslidably received in said slit and having a downturned inner edge and acontinuous down-turned flange along its outer exposed portion to providea hand-grip portion, said down-turned inner edge having a pair oflaterally spaced apertures therein, said rods extending through saidapertures whereby said closure member is slidably mounted on said rods,coil springs entwined about said rods intermediate saiddown-turned inneredge of said closure member and said front wall to yieldably retain saidclosure member in innermost closed position, a top wall for saidreceptacle comprising a sheet like member having'a downwardly flangedopening .in its center portion, said top wall defining a generallyrectangular top edge, and thelloweredges of the flange of said top walllying in a common plane and adapted to have scraping movement with theentire normally exposed area of the top surface of said closure memberupon sliding movement of the latter in said slit when said hand-gripportion is engaged and manipulated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS646,283 Heatly et al Mar. 27, 1900 1,124,395 Cottrell Jan. 12, 19151,226,634 Briese May 22, 1917 1,574,685 Pacorek Feb. 23, 1926 2,494,979Worthing Jan. 17, 1950

